Last Day of June

You haven't seen a post since last Tuesday because not a lot has been happening, but I thought I'd chime in on this last day of June with a little bit of this and that.

The third June birthday in our family was granddaughter Brianna's.  She turned 28 yesterday. Her only sibling, Brooke, flew to Nashville to celebrate with her.  They are six years apart in age, but very close.  Happy Birthday, Bri!  She texted this pic today.  The heart around their faces is my addition.  

If you are a Downton Abbey fan and don't already know, a third Downton Abbey Movie is currently being filmed at Highclere Castle and will be in theaters in September.  Save the date!

The Bridgerton bandwagon continues to expand beyond Bath & Body Works, Republic of Tea and Williams & Sonoma.  I don't follow Antique Farm House on Facebook, but some of my friends do so maybe that's how the advertisement for their new Bridgerton Collection made its way into my Facebook feed.   Or maybe it's because I used Google to research the history of King George III & Queen Charlotte, the Netflix Bridgerton series and the Regency Era. Who knows, but Antique Farm House said their new line of home decor products, "Whispers of Lady Whistledown", was inspired by the new season.

I welcomed June researching recipes to boost my "Belly Biome" and while I haven't made the ideal suggestion of consuming 20 different plant foods every day, I've greatly expanded my veggie and fruit diet repertoire.  I've enjoyed researching the nutritional values of foods and June is ending the same way it began - looking for new recipes to try.  

Several fruits and veggies fall in the 'superfood' category and one of them is Spinach.  Popeye the Sailor, a fictional cartoon character, first appeared in a 1929 comic strip. His Paramount theatrical shorts appeared in 1933, and in the late 1950's he began airing on TV.  I grew up watching his TV cartoons and I can still remember how his arm turned muscular with great strength after popping open a can of spinach and devouring it [by sucking it through his pipe], proclaiming "I'm strong to the finish 'cause I eats me spinach..." and Brutus was defeated every time!

I must confess, spinach has never been one of my favorite veggies until I read why it's a superfood.  It's loaded with vitamins A, B, C, E and K, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium plus other nutrients, and there's a whole list of benefits and support it provides for the human body [too many to list here].  So I decided to give it a try again.  I found two different spinach salad recipes in my cookbooks that are delicious.  I didn't take pictures after I made them, but I will provide the recipes here.  While spinach is very healthy, moderation is key because eaten in excess the oxalate found in it can increase the risk of kidney stones. It can also interfere with blood thinner medications.   I'm not on blood thinners so that's not an issue for me, but I am cautious about kidney stones.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Dressing Ingredients:

                        1/2 cup white sugar

                        1/2 cup olive oil

                        1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

                        2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

                        1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

                        1 Tablespoon minced onion [I used dehydrated]

                        1/4 teaspoon paprika

                        1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salad Ingredients:

                        1 quart strawberries - washed, hulled and sliced

                        10 oz. fresh baby spinach - rinsed, stems removed and dried

                        1/4 cup slivered almonds [I used oven roasted]

Whisk together sugar, oil, vinegar, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, paprika and Worcestershire sauce, and chill.  Combine prepared strawberries and spinach in a large bowl and add almonds.  Pour dressing over all and toss to coat.  Can chill before serving, but I didn't because my spinach and strawberries had already been refridgerated and were chilled.

Classic Apple-Spinach Salad

Dressing Ingredients:

                        1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

                        1/2 cup white sugar

                        1/4 cup vegetable oil [I used olive oil because it's healthier]

                        1/2 teaspoon salt

                        1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Salad Ingredients:

                        10 oz. fresh spinach - washed, stems removed and dried

                        1 red apple, cored and chopped [I didn't peel mine and any apple will work]

                        1/2 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced

                        1/2 cup toasted pecans - toast in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.  

                                                               

Combine vinegar, sugar, oil, salt, and dry mustard in a jar with lid and shake vigorously to combine.   Toss prepared spinach, apples, and onion slices with salad dressing in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with toasted pecans and serve.  I didn't use candied pecans, but I think they'd be an even better option than toasted pecans.

I promise you, both of these recipes are winners/keepers.  Let me know if you decide to try them.